Match & Competition Rules.

Rules 1-22 applicable to all three team competitions(Brunner Cup, Norman Cup, De-Knoop Cup)

All matches from the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final, will adhere to the dress code.

1. Entry to these competitions must be by completing the appropriate section of the Direct Affiliation form, which must be returned to the County Secretary and Competition secretary, by 1st March. Entry is open to all affiliated Clubs and subject to acceptance by the Management Council. Clubs and players will be accepted providing they do not enter or play in the same year in another County’s Team Championship. To be eligible a player must hold both BCGBA and Cheshire County Life membership cards and must in the current year be a registered playing member of the said club, in a geographically local league(s).

2. Entry and game fees for each competition to be set by the Management Council annually. The fees are to be announced at the AGM prior to the year of all competitions. (2011: £6.00 per competition and game fee of 80p per player)

3. All such Clubs are permitted to enter an additional team in each competition and where this is desired the first entry shall be shown as ‘A’ and the additional team as ‘B’. Separate registrations for each team entered will be required. No player from the ‘A’ registrations can play for the ‘B’ team. A player from the ‘B’ team registrations can play for the ‘A’ team but then becomes cup tied to the ‘A’ team for the remainder of the season. The rules on restricted entry and disqualification as shown in Rules 20-28 shall apply as if it were two separate Clubs.

4. Clubs can register any number of players providing that each individual possesses both BCGBA and Cheshire County Life Membership cards. An initial list in alphabetical order, is to be sent at the time of entry. Separate registrations shall be required for any additional team. Supplementary lists of players for registration can be sent to the County Secretary to arrive at any time prior to 1st June, but must be registered for a period of seven days before being allowed to play in a match. No player to play for more than one Club during a season. Penalty for any Club where a player infringes any part of this rule, the defaulter is to forfeit the game to the opponent 21-0 and the Club to be fined £15.00.

5. Games of 21 up, played in accordance with the BCGBA Laws of the Game.

6. The Management Council shall draw the Clubs in such a manner that eliminates all byes at the first occasion (this being known as the preliminary round) and the remainder will be continuously divisible by two and played through without redraw until such time as only one winner remains. That team to hold the trophy for twelve months.

7. All matches scheduled to be played on neutral greens shall be at directly affiliated Clubs chosen by the Management Council, who reserve the right to change the venue after an original choice has been announced.

8. A Club that has a team that is drawn at a neutral venue at which it has a playing member(s) (see definition after this rule) must verbally inform the Match Secretary at least ten days prior to the match if they intend to play any such player. They must confirm this in writing at least 7 days prior to the match giving details of which playing member(s) would be involved. A new venue will be chosen and all concerned advised, including cancellation of the former venue. Where a team includes a playing member(s) contrary to this rule, the defaulter is to forfeit the game to the opponent 21-0.(Definition of a playing member:- One who pays a subscription to a Bowling Club or to a Bowling Section of a Sports or Social Club or is a member of an organization which utilizes the green of such Club or Section.)

9. After the announcement of the neutral venue, no player to play upon the green prior to the match with the exception of any fixture (be it individual, pairs or team) that is either approved by the BCGBA as an Open Contest or forms part of the County fixtures or those of a directly affiliated League. Penalty for infringement of this rule, defaulter to forfeit game to the opponent 21-0.

10. A Team unable to fulfil any fixture shall notify the following not later than Thursday noon prior to the match, failing which a fine of £10-00 will be imposed.

a) Their opponents.

b) The neutral venue at which the match is scheduled to be played.

c) The Match Secretary.

The Management Council shall have the power to award up to £30-00 compensation to the opponents or the neutral venue. This to be recovered from the offending Team.

11. A Club which fails to fulfil a fixture, whether or not in default of Rule 8 above, shall be responsible for paying the games fees of their players and those of their opponents.

12. In each match prior to the quarter-finals a competent referee shall be appointed by the host Club, who shall not be a member of either competing teams, whose decisions shall be final. Appointment of referees who will be known as the Cheshire Match Officials for the quarter-finals onwards will be made by the Cheshire County Crown Green Referees’ Society.

13. Standard jacks as approved by the BCGBA shall be used in all matches. Prior to the final the host Club is required to provide a minimum of four jacks, four footers and a 19 metre tape, and a BCGBA approved measure. In the final the County will provide the aforementioned equipment.

14. In all rounds each Club shall place their team in a desired order of play; 1-12. Both teams must be present at the host Club at 2-15 pm for the draw to be made. The two Captains to then toss, so that each team shall have equal numbers of first leads of the jack, odd numbers in one team and even numbers in the other.

15. Matches to commence at 2-30 pm unless the green is declared unfit for play. In the event of postponement or abandonment, both teams having consideration for Rule 14 below, shall make fresh arrangements with the host Club there and then. On failing to observe this rule in its entirety, the Management Council will decide from the information given which Club(s) are in default and administer the offending Club(s) with a £15.00 fine.

16. Matches shall commence with four games on the green and four jacks shall be maintained unless otherwise agreed by the two Captains. If any player is not present when called upon to play a reserve must be substituted and the original player will take no further part in the match. In the event of no reserve being present, defaulter to forfeit game to the opponent 21-0.

17. Matches which have been postponed or abandoned shall be played on or before the following Saturday unless permission is granted by the Management Council for exceptional circumstances. In instances where the Management Council is called upon to fix a date, any Club failing to play as directed will be disqualified.

18. In the event of a match being abandoned the points scored shall count. For unfinished games the jack shall be noted and it will be from this position that the game will be resumed. If one or both players in any game are unavailable on the re-arranged date, substitutes will be permitted, but the scores and position of commencement as mentioned above will apply.

19. In the event of a drawn match the winners shall be decided by the Team having the most individual winners, then if still tied four players from each competing team shall be re-drawn by the Referee. These players to be selected by the respective Captains from those having taken part in the match and being present at the time of redraw. The four games on being completed shall stand as a definite result of the match. In the event of the four games resulting in a tie the foregoing shall apply again with the respective Captains selecting an entirely different four players to compete on the same day, until such time as the winners have been determined.

20. The winning Team only shall phone in the result immediately after the match to the Hon Match Secretary and shall forward their result sheet by FIRST CLASS POST, this to reach the Match Secretary by the Tuesday following the Match. Failure to do so will result in a £10.00 fine. The losing team shall retain their result sheet in case of any dispute.

21. The Clubs reaching the final shall notify the Match Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the match, of their selected team in order of play, together with two reserves upon which, the venue details will be released.

22. Any Club wishing to raise an objection shall do so in writing within 48 hours of the match, and shall lodge with the Management Council the sum of £25.00 which shall be forfeited if the objection is considered frivolous. In the event of either Club in connection with a dispute or protest having a member on the Management Council the said member shall retire whilst the dispute or protest is being considered.

Additional Rules 23-31 restricted to the team competitions as shown

BRUNNER CUP (First Team Competition)

23. Teams to consist to twelve players

23a. In order to play in the Brunner Cup Final, any player must have played at least two games in either the Brunner Cup or the De-Knoop Cup, during that season for the respective club.

24. Each Club shall nominate from its list of registered players a minimum of TWELVE players who shall be designated as BRUNNER CUP ONLY players. Such nominations shall not qualify to play in the De-Knoop Cup.

25. Any team, which received a walk-over in any round, shall declare their team to the Match Secretary and these players shall not be eligible for the De-Knoop Cup.

NORMAN CUP

This competition is to be handicapped.

26. Teams to consist of ten players.

27. Entry is restricted to Clubs who have played in the current Brunner Cup or the De_Knoop Cup, but have failed to reach the last sixteen in either competition.

DE-KNOOP CUP

28. Teams to consist of ten players.

29. Only players who have not played during the current season, in the Brunner Cup and players who are not recognized as first team players, as per rule 1, are eligible to play. Penalty for infringement of this rule, the defaulter is to forfeit the game to the opponent 21-0 and the club fined £15.00.

30. The Management Council shall have the power to disqualify from the De-Knoop Cup, any Club which in the opinion of the Management Council has played an excessive number of players in their team who are recognised in during the current season as first team players. In taking such decision the management council shall consider each player individually, by accepting the definition of the first team status adopted by the League concerned. Under this rule, three or more first team players shall be considered excessive.

31. The Management Council shall have the power to disqualify from the De-Knoop Cup, any Club which have played players who, in the opinion of the Management Council, should rightly have appeared in the original list of the Brunner Cup only players.